Sick chicken...Now She's not breathing well. UPDATE in ORGINAL POST

[Carli]

ETA: Now she's breathing very heavily, beak open. On the 2nd page, I posted that I think it's mites because I found some critters on her while giving her a bath. Still no poop in her kennel. Is this the end for her? Could mites do this?

For the last few days I've seen one of my BOs sitting on the coop floor but being a new chicken owner, I wasn't picking up on a problem. Today, I found her in the run just standing there and saw dried poop around her butt. I've removed her from the run to her own space. A friend suggested adding apple cider vinegar to her food and wait and see. I don't see any mites. Her food the last few days has been the regular layer feed, some apples, and maybe a piece of bread. Any ideas what's wrong with her? What should I do from here on out?

eta: I should've added that she's lethargic, is missing some feathers near her bum, and it appears by her comb that she's being pecked. Friend said she may be getting pecked *because* she's sick. I'm a little worried that one of my other BOs could be getting whatever this is because on one or two of the nights this girl was on the coop floor, another BO was in the nesting box but not broody.

 

[Lesa]

Good that you separated her... Anytime I see a chicken on the ground, when it is roosting time- it usually means a problem. Have you looked over the bottom of her feet? Check for bumble foot. You might want to soak her in a tub of warm water- in case she is egg bound. Try to make sure she is eating and drinking and watch what her poop looks like... Hope she recovers! Good luck!

 

[Carli]

I haven't checked her feet yet. Will do that. I did see something about giving her yogurt so I put some out there and she's lovin' it. I don't see any poop on the floor of her area yet which concerns me.

 

[artsyrobin]

If she were mine, i'd give her a warm bath, clean off her bum, blow her dry or keep her in a spare bathroom to make sure she is dry, check my byc page i have some health info on the second page- how is her crop? any other symptoms than lethargy?

 

[PepsNick]

Quote:
x2! That could be the case, but if she is lethargic I'd go with egg bound. Read up on that! It's very serious, can be fatal and can involve surgery. Feel her abdomen- if it's hard, that is not a good sign. Bathe her and make sure it doesn't get worse. Good luck.

 

[Lesa]

Let us know how she is doing....

 

[Carli]

I didn't bathe her but I used a warm wet washcloth to wash her bum down. Here are some photos.

It the bottom of that pink bulbous like part...it felt soft but as I felt higher up, it did feel hard in there. Not sure of my chicken anatomy here so I couldn't tell if there was an egg in there or if it was her normal body....I am so in need of help! LOL!

I want to give her a bath but hubby thinks I'm nutty. He's also sleeping right now so when he goes to work tonight, I think I'll bathe her.

 

[Lesa]

It is not so much that you want to bathe her to get her clean- but to let her soak for about 20 minutes in warm water. Sometimes, this will help them push the egg out... If you do a search on "egg bound" you will read all kinds of ideas... That yellow smear on her backside looks a lot like egg yolk- could be broken egg inside her. Good luck!

 

[Carli]

If it is egg yolk, that might account for the interesting odor. I was shocked that it wasn't disgusting me...sort of a sweet smell. I'll give her that soaking after hubby is gone so he doesn't tease me and I don't wake him up before work. Thanks for the help Lesa, and the rest!

 

[artsyrobin]

what i do with an eggbound hen is bath them, helps them relax, massage her abdomen, and give them a tums in the water, it helps them relax the muscles to push the egg out- it has to be tums or the house brand with the same calcium in it-